193 



occipital process 4 5. Its greatest breadth midway between 

 eyes and posterior part of opercles, equal to head. Eyes 12 14. 

 Eye distance as long as or a little longer than mouthopening, 

 nearly as long as head without snout. Occipital process trian- 

 gular, its top rounded, not very prominent, its height nearly 

 3 times in its base. Occipital fontanel ] /s shorter than the 

 frontal one, the frontborder of which reaches about a line 

 through the hindborder of the eyes. Surface of head, if gra- 

 nular, very inconspicuously so. Nasal barbels extending to hind- 

 border of head or surpassing it, maxillary barbel nearly reaching 

 ventrals, mandibulary barbel extending to about the extremity 

 of pectorals, mentals much shorter. Distance between origin 

 of dorsal and occipital process 2 ! / 2 times in the distance from 

 lastnamed to snout. The rounded caudal is free from dorsal 

 and anal. Ventrals rounded extending on anal, 2 / 3 length of 

 pectorals, more than twice in head. Pectorals rounded, shorter 

 than postorbital part of head, their spine not very strong, 2 / 3 of 

 longest rays, smooth. Teeth small, acute. In the maxillary 

 arranged in two bands, broadened . a little laterally, half as 

 long as broad. The mandibulary teeth in two contiguous 

 quadrangular patches, with the posterior exterior corner late- 

 rally produced. Vomerine teeth in a semicrescentic band. 13 

 gillrakers, shorter than branchial filaments. Uniform brown or 

 blackish; belly, underside of head, barbels on underside, 

 ventrals and pectorals whitish. Pectorals and barbels sometimes 

 more or less dark coloured, body and tail often with light 

 spots, more or less regularly arranged in transverse lines. 

 Median fins more or less distinctly bordered with white. 

 Length 330 mm. 



Habitat: Sumatra (Benkulen, Ringat ! Siboga, Djambi!); 

 Banka; Nias; Borneo (rivers Kajan, Mahakam, Kahajan, Kapuas, 

 Sambas, Sarawak, Baram and Balikpapan !). 



Doubtful species. 



I. Clarias macrocephalns Max Weber, Ergebn. einer Reise 

 in N. O. Indien, Bd. Ill 1894. p. 419. (Pajakomboh, Sumatra). 



The specifical value of the specimens named C. macroce- 

 phalus Gthr. by Max Weber is even now doubtful, as Clarias 

 macrocephalus Gthr seems to be a rather doubtful species. 

 The Pajakomboh specimens agree with Cl. batrachus, but are 

 distinct by their long and strong pectoral spine, which is 

 INDO-AUSTRALIAN FISHES II. 13 



